Method of making valves



Aug. 6, 1935:/ L. w. GERING. JR 2,009,996

METHOD 0F MAKING VALVES Filed ost. 2o, 1931 f, f I 6 INVENroR.

[mais f'rzzg. J.'

Patented Aug. 6v, 1935 UNITED. STATES PATENT, OFFICE Claims. The present invention relating as indicated to valves has more particular reference to that type 5 or mushroom type of valve.

of valve for use with internal combustion engines which is more commonly known as a poppet In internalcombustion engine practice, the intake and exhaust valves,` especially the heated portions thereof are subjected to exceedingly rigorous conditions of operation. They are subjected to the action of high temperatures and pressures and the corrosive action of the products of combustion; with the resultl that the valve seat soon becomes burned out or pitted and an effective and efficient gaseous seal is therefore lost. Corrosive action is further stimulated by the presence of anti-detonating compounds such as lead tetraethyl. IThe desirable properties to be obtainedqin a valve of this type are therefore well known and it is the general object and nature of my present invention to provide a valve and a simple and efllcient process for the manufacture of the same which shall be able to withstand the deteriorating effects in internal combustion engine opera-V tions. It is the further object of my invention to provide a valve construction which requires a` minimum amount of metal with a corresponding decrease in Weight.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

'Ihe annexed drawing and the following description set nforth in detail Vcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a half section of a valve head showing the macro-structure of a valve formed by processes heretofore utilized. Fig. 2 is a similar macro-structural View of a valve head fabricated in accordance with the principle of my invention. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a blank illustrating the first step of my valve-making process. Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive are longitudinal sectional views illustrative of subsequent steps employed in the consummation of my valve-making method.

It is well known that all commercial forms of metals and'especially steel contain non-metallic inclusions or impurities which are the result of the metallurgical reduction of the metals. These non-metallic inclusions are chiefly composed of the oxides of iron and manganese and various (Cl. Bil-156.7)

other sulphides, silicates, and phosphides, and have a tendency to collect in layers or bands known as "ghost lines. It is also well known that corrosion and deterioration germinate and initiate at these inclusion points. Such inclusions 5 have the further tendency to (1) segregate on casting and working, (2) coalesce on annealing, and (3) undergo an orientation in the direction of fibre stress on rolling or mechanical deformation.

The principle, therefore, upon which the conl0 c eption of my present invention is predicated, is

*to control and obviate the above-enumerated ob- Jectlonable characteristics incident to the presence of non-metallic inclusions in order to produce a valve possessing the highly desirable qualities of strength and durability.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, I have `shown a valve having the head portion I the stem 2,- and the valve seat area 3. The ne lines in Fig. 1 represent the orientation of the ln- 20 cluded impurities ln the metal. This particular valve has been formed by means of upsetting tue head portion I on an original piece of stock of a size equal to the stem portion 2. It will thus be seen that the effect of such upsetting operation is to force the inclusion bands outwardly towards the region of the valve seat area 3, exactly where they are not desired.

In Fig. 2, however, which is representative of a macro-structural section Iof a valve formed according to the principle of my invention, it will be seenthat the inclusions or ghost lines lie in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the valve. There has occurred no regional segregation of such inclusions in the area of the valve seat portion 3.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 to 9 inclusive, the. process by which' my valve is formed is as follows:

A piece of bar stock is first machined into the 40 head portion 5 having the reduced surface I turned on the outside. The inside cavity I with the flaring portion 8 is then drilled out of the blank. As shown in Fig. 5, a soft metal plug 9 is then inserted into the cavity 1 and the portion 45 6 of the blank together lwith the inserted plug 9 is forged or swaged into the stem portion III. The raised shoulders II and. I2 are left upon the stem portion-I0 for purposes which shall hereinafter become manifest. As shown in Fig. 7, the soft metallic plug is then drilled out leaving the hollow center I3 in the valve stem. In the next step as shown by Fig. 8, the raised shoulder II is heated and forged into the partition or transverse wall Il. Reduction of the shoulder I2 is 55 .low portion I3 of the valve; in which case a stopping plug may be driven into the holes l5 and I6 in order to retain the heat dissipating material within the valve.

In Fig. 10, I have illustrated an alternative step in my process which may consist of drawing the stem portion I8 out from the head portion 5 without the presence of the soft metal plug 9. The presence of the metal plug 9 merely serves as a means for facilitating the drilling out of the hollow stem portion.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a method for forming a valve which requires only one heating and forging operation. By virtue of the fact that such heating and forging is reduced to a minimum, the tendency of the non-metallic inclusions to segregate and coalesce is correspondingly minimized. Furthermore, since the metal from the center portion of the original blank has been removed, the majority of the segregated material in the original bar stock is not present and the completed valve has therefore been fabricated from a blank which is composed of com'- paratively pure metal.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure heren disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In the manufacture of valvesof the char-acter described,l the method comprisin'the steps-of providing a blank having its greater diameter f equal to that of the head portion of the finished valve without deforming the metal in said head portion, and then reducing a portion of said blank to a diameter and'length equal to that of the stemportion.

2. In the manufacture of valves of the character described the method comprising the steps of providing a blank having its greater .diameter equal to that of the head portion of the nished valve without deforming the metal in said head portion, then removing'the centrally segregated metal from said blank, inserting a relatively soft metal plug in the hollow interior of said blank, and then reducing a portion of said blank to a diameter and length equal to that of the stem portion of the valve.

3. In the manufacture of valves of the character described, the method comprising the steps of providing a blank having its greater diameter equal to that of the head portion of the finished valve without deforming the metal in said head portion, then removing the centrally segregated metal from said blank, inserting a relatively soft metal plug in the hollow interior of said blank, and then reducing a portion of said blank to a diameter and length equal to that of the stem portion of the valve, and then drilling out said soft metal-plug.

4. In the manufacture of valves of the character described, the method comprising the steps of providing a blank having its greater diameter equal to that of the head portion of the finished valve without dcforming the metal in said head portion, diameter and length equal to'that of the stem portion of the valve, and then drilling out the interior of said stem portion.

5. In the manufacture of valves of the character described, the method comprising the steps of providing a blank having its greatest diameter equal to that of the head portion of the finished valve without deforming the metal in said head portion, then'removingthe centrally segregated metal from said blank, inserting a relatively soft metal plug in thev hollow interior of said blank, and then reducing a portion of said blank to a diameter and length equal to that of .the stem portion of the valve, then drilling out said soft metal plug, and then providing transverse reenforcing walls in said hollow stem.

- LOUIS W. GERING, JR.

reducing a portion of said blank to a- 

